Legal System of Jersey

Jersey is located in Europe. It is geographically situated in western europe, island in the english channel, northwest of france. The country achieved independence on none (british crown dependency). The capital is Saint Helier.

Government Overview

Government Type: parliamentary democracy (Assembly of the States of Jersey) Chief of State: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Lieutenant Governor Jerry KYD (since 8 October 2022) Head of Government: Chief Minister Lyndon FARNHAM (since 25 January 2024); Bailiff Timothy Le COCQ (since 17 October 2019) Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed individually by the states Administrative Divisions: no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US government, but 12 parishes; Grouville, Saint Brelade, Saint Clement, Saint Helier, Saint John, Saint Lawrence, Saint Martin, Saint Mary, Saint Ouen, Saint Peter, Saint Saviour, Trinity National Holiday: Liberation Day, 9 May (1945) Suffrage: 16 years of age; universal

Legal System

The legal system of Jersey is described as the laws of the UK apply, as well as local statutes

Constitutional Framework

The constitution has the following history: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice Amendment Process: proposed by a government minister to the Assembly of the States of Jersey, by an Assembly member, or by an elected parish head; passage requires several Assembly readings, a majority vote by the Assembly, review by the UK Ministry of Justice, and approval of the British monarch (Royal Assent)

Judicial Branch

Highest Court(s): Jersey Court of Appeal (consists of the bailiff, deputy bailiff, and 12 judges); Royal Court (consists of the bailiff, deputy bailiff, 6 commissioners and lay people referred to as jurats, and is organized into Heritage, Family, Probate, and Samedi Divisions); appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) Judge Selection: Jersey Court of Appeal bailiffs and judges appointed by the Crown upon the advice of the Secretary of State for Justice; bailiffs and judges appointed for “extent of good behavior;” Royal Court bailiffs appointed by the Crown upon the advice of the Secretary of State for Justice; commissioners appointed by the bailiff; jurats appointed by the Electoral College; bailiffs and commissioners appointed for “extent of good behavior;” jurats appointed until retirement at age 72 Subordinate Courts: Magistrate’s Court; Youth Court; Petty Debts Court; Parish Hall Enquiries (a process of preliminary investigation into youth and minor adult offenses to determine need for presentation before a court)

Legislative Branch

The legislative structure consists of unicameral Note: note: 5 non-voting members appointed by the monarch include the bailiff, lieutenant governor, dean of Jersey, attorney general, and the solicitor general

Citizenship and Suffrage

Suffrage: 16 years of age; universal

Historical Background

Jersey and the other Channel Islands represent the last remnants of the medieval Duchy of Normandy that held sway in both France and England. These islands were the only British soil that Germany occupied in World War II. The Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown dependency, which means that it is not part of the UK but is rather a self-governing possession of the British Crown. However, the UK Government is constitutionally responsible for its defense and international representation.

This article provides a summary of the legal system and governmental structure of Jersey based on the CIA World Factbook. The Factbook is a public domain publication of the United States Central Intelligence Agency.